Mark 2 1-12
Epiphany 7 B
Mark 2:1-12
February 23, 2003
“Determined”
Introduction: Our meditation for today is based on the gospel lesson, the story of the paralytic, “And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Spinal paralysis is a horrible and debilitating condition. People that suffer from it are helpless. They are totally dependant on other people to help them do the mundane tasks that we take for granted, things like eating and drinking, clothing ones self, combing of hair, brushing of teeth. Unlike most organs of the body control just one function, but the nervous system and the spinal cord controls many of the bodily functions. It controls all voluntary movement, such as speech and walking and also involuntary movements like blinking and breathing. The spinal cord is the highway for communication between the body and the brain. When the spinal cord is injured the exchange of information between the brain and the rest of the body is severely disrupted or cut off all together.
In 1995, as a result of falling of a horse, Christopher Reeves suffered almost complete paralysis. Once flying high as Superman, now he is confined to a wheel chair and is completely dependant on the help of other people. In spite of his condition, Christopher Reeves is determined. He is determined to get better. Against all odds he is determined to walk again. Such determination and courage should be applauded. He has not given up hope. Unfortunately, his determination has led him in the wrong direction. His determination has led him to support embryonic stem cell research which is clearly against God’s will.
In our gospel lesson, the paralytic and his four friends are determined. The paralytic and his four friends are determined to get to Jesus. Jesus ministry to the sick was just getting started. Jesus has cast out demons showing that he has authority and power over Satan and his kingdom. Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and then many other sick people showing that he had power over the consequences of sin which are disease and death. It is no wonder that these men were so determined to get to Jesus.
To this end they came to the house where Jesus was living, Peter’s house. There the crowds had gathered, inside and out. They came to hear the Word of God spoken by Jesus…”repent and believe for the kingdom of God was at hand.” We all have mingled in crowds. So we can understand the difficulty they must have had carrying a man on a matt, determined to get to Jesus. Finally the four men climbed a ladder to get on the flat roof of the house. They hoisted their helpless paralytic friend to the roof with them. Then they began to dismantle the roof, digging first through the dirt and grass, then through the layer of rock and then pulling up the supportive beams that held it all together. Slowly they lowered their friend into the house, the man, supported by the mat swinging slightly from side to side and laid to rest right in front of Jesus. Can you imagine what Peter thought as these men were tearing apart his house and lowering this man down? Besides the obvious thoughts he must have concluded that these men were determined to get to Jesus. It was obvious they hoped that Jesus would heal their friend. And to release his burden would be to release their own as they were bound to care for him.
As determined as they were, our Lord Jesus was even more determined. Seeing their faith in Him He looked at the paralytic man and said, “Son your sins are forgiven.” At first this might seem like a strange response from Jesus to the man who had come to Jesus for physical healing. But Jesus goes to the core of the matter. All sickness, disease and death are a result of sin in our lives and in our world. Naturally the paralyzed man wondered what he had done to deserve such a condition. This is often our reaction to as we suffer at times. Knowing that we have sinned we may feel that we do deserve what has happened to us. That in some way we are paying for our own sins. Jesus is determined to comfort the man as he pronounces forgiveness. With this declaration Jesus states that God loves this man. From the mouth of Jesus comes only blessings and not curses for those who come to Him for healing. A person might ask, “did Jesus give the man what he asked for?” We must respond with a resounding, “yes”. The forgiveness of sins results in spiritual healing which will result ultimately in physical healing. Jesus gives the man exactly what he needs, forgiveness of sins.
Because of sin in us and in our world we also have experienced paralysis. At some point in our lives we have all been spiritually paralyzed. Spiritually, we were unable to move, unable to speak, even unable to think about spiritual matters. We were totally helpless and powerless. Our gracious God brought people into our lives that took care of us and in turn brought us into the presence of Jesus. For most of us we were brought into the Lord’s presence as our parents brought us to be baptized. As infants we were totally dependant on our parents to support our physical needs. They knew that we needed much more. We needed to be healed of the paralysis of our souls. Only Jesus Christ could do this. Just as our Lord was determined to forgive and heal the paralytic man, He was determined to forgive us and heal us in the waters of baptism. There he spoke to us to us His word of forgiveness.
Unfortunately it didn’t end there. From time to time we still experience spiritual paralysis. The old Adam in us is inclined to curl up in a fetal ball of inactivity moving us to resist the activity of the Spirit of God within us. This spiritual paralysis is reflected in many ways. For some of us paralysis is seen in a our lack of church attendance which in turn leads to the communion list which in turn leads to self exclusion. This results in the paralysis of the soul. For some of us paralysis is evidences by poor stewardship. We may resist giving to God in reponse to what He has given to us. Paralysis of the pocketbook is evidence of paralysis of the soul. Some of us experience paralysis in our own inattention to God’s Word and applying it to our lives. Spiritual paralysis takes hold of each of us in different ways.
As a result we need each other. The paralytic man needed other people to bring him into the presence of the Lord. We need to care for each other as we continually bring each other into the presence of the Lord. For parents, especially of teenage children, it means waking our paralyzed kids up on a Sunday morning and bringing them into the presence of the Lord, especially when they don’t want to come. For some of us it is reminding each other that coming to church and Bible study is the right thing to do. This is especially true when we are tempted to “skip church today”. What about all the un-churched, those people that are spiritually paralyzed in our community? Do we expect them to pick up their mats and show up in church? Several years ago there was a life guard’s convention in New Orleans. As the party was in progress a guest, 31year old Jerome Moody, fell in the pool. He drowned. The over 200 life guards in attendance were stunned by the irony of the situation. We like the life guards have the ability to help and to save the people around us. The Lord desires that we care for those who can not care for themselves and bring them into His presence, here in church. For those of us that cannot do even this God calls on us to bring the people in our lives into His presence by praying for them. May the Lord give us such caring determination.
The Lord Jesus was determined. He was determined to forgive the paralytic man and to show that He had the authority to do so He gave the people evidence. He told the paralytic to take up his mat and go home. Jesus was determined to forgive and heal. His determination came with a great cost. It determined that He had to go to the cross where He would die for the paralytic and for us. There at the cross He took our paralysis upon Himself. We have been forgiven for all those things that we were unable to do or resisted doing. We have been forgiven for every expression of paralysis in our lives. In return He has given us His life supporting Spirit which enables us to live, move, and breathe spiritually. It is a spirit that gives us determination to care for other people. As we live by the Spirit we have the promise of healing in the life to come. By faith in Jesus Christ we receive forgiveness and healing.
The people of the world go from one place to another seeking healing for the paralysis of their bodies and souls. Like Christopher Reeves they long for hope. Unable to move or breath they cannot find it on there own. They need friends like those of the paralytic. We know where to find it though. It is found in Jesus Christ alone. It is found in His death on the cross. It is revealed In His word and applied to our lives in the healing waters of baptism and in the balm of the Lord’s body and blood given to us. In these things the Lord is present to us and the people of the world. In baptism, in His body and blood and in His Word He says to us, Arise take up you mat and walk…your sins are forgiven. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
